With the weather goes Rosellas winning hopes

Heavy rain and a changing breeze in the final quarter ruined any chance Cheltenham had of upsetting reigning premier Dingley at Souter Oval.

With ex-Sandringham and Sydney rookie ruckman Sean McLaren in everything, the Rosellas took the game right up to the Dingoes early and trailed by a solitary point at the long break. Without the onset of heavy rain, the visitors may well have done some real damage with the strong breeze in the final term, with just a 13-point deficit at the last change.

But in the end, the Dingoes carried the day by 27 points, holding their visitors scoreless in that wet, final stanza.

Danny Ades and Luke Walmsley led the way for the Dingoes with three goals apiece, while Luke Bartholomew and Marcus Freeman also excelled. Troy McKenzie, back playing football after a basketball stint, was another to show out for the winners.

Former VFL midfielder Jarrad Matheson was among the Rosellas’ many good players, along with Daniel Vaughan, Bane Suboticki and Tom Donnell.